Basecamp#8 Europe

We have a last few places remaining for our first Brussels-based School of System Change cohort starting in January 2020.

Starting on 14th January 2020, we are offering a six-month learning journey in partnership with DRIFT Transition Academy, to help you navigate complex challenges, map and diagnose systems and engage others with far-reaching change processes.

Change leaders from across Europe will be joining us for our first Brussels-based learning programme, Basecamp#8, kicking off in January 2020. Take a look at the programme brochure for an overview, or read more about the programme and application process below.

Apply by 17 November!

About the course

About our participants

More information

Apply now

About the course

What will I get from the course?

The participants on Basecamp#8 will complete this learning journey:

• Capable of understanding and diagnosing complex systems
• Equipped with a toolkit of varied systemic methods and approaches for developing and working on multi-stakeholder projects
• Prepared to make the right choices about where and how to act to create positive change
• Having tested their learning on complex, real-life sustainability challenges
• Ready to lead transformational change in their own field
• Linked to a powerful international network of people and support

How is the course structured?

The key dates and flow of the course are shown below.

The course runs over six months - from January to July 2020 and includes:

• Two in-person sessions: one at the beginning in Brussels, Belgium, and one in the second half of the programme in a rural setting one hour outside Brussels
• A collaborative team Fieldwork project after the first in-person session, lasting 6 weeks
• Online learning with peer coaching and support from the School of System Change team

Key dates and activities:

“The School provided a constant prompt to put theory into practice and learn from it” Rachel Jetel, We Mean Business

 

How much does it cost?

Course fees are as follows, based on sector / professional context. VAT does not apply.

• Corporate / philanthropy / central government: £7,500 or 8400 €*
• NGO / social enterprise / public sector: £5,250 or 5880 €
• Small organisation / freelance / individual: £3,750 or 4200 €

*A 30% discount from this full fee is offered to corporate and government partners of Forum for the Future and DRIFT.

Travel and accommodation costs are not included in the course fees, with the exception of your accommodation during the residential in-person session in May.

How much time will I need to commit to the program?

In-person time:

• 8 days as a full cohort (the January in-person session will run Tuesday to Friday, the May in-person session will run Monday to Thursday)

In-person and/or remote time:  

• 3 - 4 days with your fieldwork team (depending on the project, this may be partially or fully remote; we’ll ensure you’re able to be there in person before assigning you to an in-person project)

Remote only:

• Approximately 5 hours a week
• January-March: primarily working with fieldwork teams
• March-July: readings, exercises on individual work, coaching time

About our participants

What are the criteria for participating?

There are no specific minimum qualifications required to participate in Basecamp. However, we assume a base level of understanding of sustainability (defined broadly as social and environmental issues in today’s world), as we do not include any introduction or specific knowledge on this as part of the course. We expect that our participants will have varied sustainability backgrounds and contexts and this is fine (and in fact desired).  We’ll be looking for a mix of issue expertise, whether that is waste management, social justice, economic inequality, or climate change.

We are looking for inspired and intrepid individuals from business, non-profits, public sector organisations, and philanthropy, along with any other enablers of change (like consultants, designers, or entrepreneurs) to form a strong cohort of at least twenty participants.

We expect you will have a strategic role and some decision-making capacity within your organisation, community, or professional context so that you are well placed to directly and promptly apply your learning, and to feasibly implement strategic changes.

As a participant, you will identify a specific complex sustainability challenge (in the widest sense of the word, including social change), and commit to exploring that challenge (although it may evolve) during your applied learning journey - meaning that you’re up for scoping or planning a new piece of work, re-visiting a strategy, or otherwise shifting or building on your current work as you learn and test out your new skills.

You need not be based in Belgium but will need to be able to join the in-person sessions on the days specified above. If you are interested in joining an upcoming programme in the UK, the Americas or Asia instead, you can express your interest through this form here.

Who will the other participants be?

Each of our cohorts is different; our aim and one of our core programme design principles is for diversity across the group in the broadest sense of the word, including diversity of professional setting (large organisations and small, different sectors along with freelancers and independents), to diversity of sustainability issue and area of expertise.

More information

We understand that it's a big step to take on a new course, especially alongside a full-time job. If you’ve got questions, take a look at some FAQ's and Testimonials to see if we’ve answered them. 

If you would like to learn more before you apply, we will also be hosting an online information session for prospective applicants on Thursday 14 November at 4:00pm GMT / 5:00 pm CET.

You can also watch a recording of a recent information session or take a look at our programme brochure.

How do I apply?

We have a few places remaining, and you can apply by 17 November using the online application form here. After filling in the full application form, we will contact you for a 30 minute chat. We will allocate places in mid-late November to ensure diversity across the group.

Apply by 17 November!

Basecamp#8 Europe will be delivered by Forum for the Future, in partnership with DRIFT Transition Academy.